


Yamainu

by deaththerabbit



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Yokai AU, lil bit of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 01:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16608842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deaththerabbit/pseuds/deaththerabbit
Summary: Midori lives on a mountain, where he meets a very interesting creature.





	Yamainu

**Author's Note:**

> hewwo this is a birthday present for my friend!!! also, yamainu just means 'japanese wolf', but i left it as yamainu because the card that inspired this is named 'yamainu'

It was deep in the woods where Midori spent the majority of his days, leaving only when he needed to restock his medicinal supply. He had been born into his duty and left with it far too early when his parents had been killed in the war that had raged through the land several years ago.

Midori had spent his days since then keeping to his sacred duty and trying to repair the damage done by the violence that had taken place there.

His parents had never been well-liked by the yokai, because while they had certainly kept to their duties to heal and protect them, they had never tried to truly understand them.

Midori had always been different than his parents. He had grown up playing with the yokai that inhabited the woods, learning their ways more than his parents had ever bothered. He had done what he could alongside his parents to protect the yokai fleeing the violence, young as he was.

He had led the fleeing yokai to safety, knowing every single place in the woods and the mountain that would provide shelter for them. He had even gone so far as to dive in front of a blade that had been meant for a yamainu cub.

Midori shook his head and stared out the window for a moment. His thoughts often strayed to the yamainu cub he had saved so long ago, prone to wondering whether or not he had made it out okay. He hadn’t seen him since that day, but the scar that had been left by that blade reminded him every time he saw it.

Sure, Midori had his suspicions that the yamainu was alright, judging by the amount of times he had caught sight of black and red fur rustling through the bushes whenever he made his rounds to the more reclusive yokai. He had always regarded his follower as a messenger from one of the gods or an escort, and had thus left offerings outside the shrine he called home every time he realized he was being followed.

With a sigh, he rose to his feet and picked his bag up from the table and made his way to the door. He finally needed to restock on his medicinal supplies that could only either be bought in town or only grew in one spot on the entire mountain.

Midori slung the bag over his shoulder and left, making sure the door was shut tightly behind him. He didn’t bother locking it; no one in their right minds would break into a shrine, and he wanted any yokai that needed his assistance to be able to come in at any time to wait for him.

He turned to the west and began walking, knowing the woods like the back of his hand. It was the quickest way to town, and he wanted to be back just in case anyone needed anything from him.

There was a rustling in the bushes and when Midori turned his head, he saw a flash of black and red fur. A smile rose on his face as he recognized his follower. He said nothing, however, and instead just continued on his way to town.

Midori was happy for the company, even though it didn’t lead to any sort of conversation. He was mostly just glad that if something happened, he was safe.

It wasn’t as if he expected to be attacked or anything of the sort; this was a protected area after all, but Midori remembered the flames that had torn through the woods and knew that some of the scars left upon the mountain had not yet vanished. It was a distant memory, but one that he would not forget anytime soon.

Midori shook his head to clear his thoughts and sighed softly. It didn’t do to dwell on things of the past.

By the time Midori reached the edge of the woods, the sun was high in the sky, but showing no sign of setting anytime soon. Though the nights were getting colder, the last remnants of autumn were trying to hold on.

Waiting for him at the edge of the woods, were three men, armed with flintlock guns and expressions like stone.

This was not, by any means, an unusual occurrence. Every few weeks, self-proclaimed yokai hunters came to invade the woods, and every time Midori warned them away with the promise of divine retribution should they decide to risk entering the woods. It was not an empty threat, but instead a promise that would be fulfilled by the very gods that had made the mountain and surrounding woods sacred land.

“Leave at once.” Midori spoke softly. “You are approaching protected lands, and any unwanted intrusion will be subject to the wrath of the gods.”

“Ah, so you’re the supposed guardian of the mountain, are you? We’ve heard the rumors and we’re not convinced. Move out of our way and we won’t hurt you.” The apparent leader spoke, voice cold as the ice in his eyes.

“I am not the mountain’s guardian; just its keeper. Please leave.” Midori tightened his grip on the strap of his bag, trying not to show his fear, fear that this time they would not heed his warning and that they would end up dead, or that he, himself, may receive that fate.

“Shall we put an end to this idiot?” The shortest of the bunch asked, raising his flintlock pistol, hand steady on the wooden firearm.

“Have at it. It’ll make our jobs easier.” The leader spoke, merely watching.

Sensing the danger, Midori spun around and tried to flee into the shelter of the woods. He heard the clash of steel on flint and heard an explosive shot ring out. A vicious snarl and black and red fur erupted from the trees, the snarl quickly turning to a high-pitched yelp of pain.

Midori stopped in his tracks and spun around, his eyes widening in horror. He had forgotten that his furry friend was following him. His heart sank when he saw the yamainu splayed out on the ground, blood spilling from a wound in his shoulder.

The yamainu, however, was not to be taken down so easily. He struggled to his paws, his whines deepening into a furious growl. With slow, deliberate steps, he placed himself between Midori and his attackers.

“No! Get out of here!” Midori shouted at the yamainu, not wanting anything bad to happen to him. He darted over to him and wrapped his arms around his middle, trying to drag him away as painlessly as possible.

Letting out a distressed whine, the yamainu struggled for a moment before finally deciding against attacking when he realized he would not be able to win. He reluctantly allowed Midori to pull him away, and then shook him off, breaking into a pained limping run.

Midori followed after him, frightened that he might be hurting his wound, and fearing that they may not get away. However, they were not pursued, and he hoped that it was because they had realized the truth of his earlier words. This was, after all, protected land.

Eventually, the yamainu came to a stop and plopped down painfully, his sides heaving and little whimpers escaping his mouth. His black ears drooped and he leaned heavily to one side.

Without hesitation, Midori crouched next to him and peered at the wound. To his relief, it was minor; a graze to his shoulder. It had looked worse when it happened.

Midori turned to look down into his bag, digging around for the medical supplies he carried wherever he went in case of emergency. By the time he found what he was looking for and returned his attention to the yamainu, a puff of smoke had clouded the air.

For a moment, Midori thought the hunters were using some new distraction to catch them unawares, until the smoke cleared and, in the place of the yamainu, sat a young man, hand over his bloody shoulder. “Ah.” His tall, furry ears and his soft tail remained, but otherwise he looked as human as Midori did.

“Ahh...it hurts.” He mumbled, ears flattening against his head in an expression of his pain.

“Sit still.” Midori said softly, used to dealing with yokai that changed forms. What he had not expected, was how handsome the young man was.

“What are you doing?! That hurts!” The young man jerked away when Midori tried to pull his hand away from his wound.

“I’m trying to help you. It’ll only get worse if you don’t let me help.” Midori spoke gently, used to his patients acting in this way. He let out a sigh and rolled up his sleeves so that he wouldn’t stain them with blood.

A gasp escaped the yamainu’s lips and he leaned close to peer at a deep scar that began at his elbow and went down to the back of his hand. “It scarred…”

Midori stiffened as the yamainu leaned his face down and pressed his lips against the scar gently. So his hunch had been right; this was the yamainu he had saved all those years ago. He relaxed, glad that he had made it out alright. “What’s your name?” He asked softly, pushing him away enough so that he could return to his work.

With precise movements, Midori cleaned the wound and made certain there were no fragments from the lead round.

“Tetora...OW! That hurt!” He flinched back for a moment until he received a stern look from Midori. He already knew Midori’s name, and did not bother asking. 

“I know it hurts, but you can’t just let it fester.” Midori’s voice was firm, but his touches grew more gentle as he began to wrap bandages around his wound gently. He leaned back when he was done. “There. I’m all done now. But you should come home with me, so that I can keep an eye on you.”

Tetora’s joy at his words was obvious by the way his tail began to wag rapidly behind him. “Can I? I’ve never been inside while you were there!” His ears perked up happily and he leaned closer.

Midori stared at Tetora, dumbfounded. “You’ve been in my home when I’m not there…?”

Tetora’s smile froze on his face and he stared at Midori in the realization that he had confessed to something that was probably better left unsaid. “Ah...um...no?”

It was better to ignore that, Midori decided, letting out a sigh. “Whatever.” He mumbled and stood up, taking Tetora’s hand and pulling him to his feet. “Come with me.”

Tetora followed after Midori excitedly, his wound mostly forgotten in his joy. He was happy to finally be able to actually speak to and touch Midori.

“Ah...actually, Tetora-kun...why don’t you just stay with me from now on? You follow me around enough as it is, and there’s plenty of room for you…” Midori offered with a sigh. He figured it was inevitable that that would be the end result anyway.

“Really?!”

“Really.”

Midori wasn’t quite sure what he was getting into, but he was sure that it couldn’t be too bad if Tetora was by his side.


End file.
